The Wilmingtonian., 1887-01-22
The Study of Music in Public
Schools.

ibroad' Con missioner Elton quotes Ma
tin Luther as saying Music lis maste
which makes tile eople softer and mildel
more polite and more rational. 1t is d beat
ttful aud noble git OF God. would no
| part with what little know Of 1t for grea
leal, You should be instructed in this ar
for it makes capable people it is indsptn
aiole to have music taught in the publ
school. The schoolmaster who i'll not teacl
1t is not the schoolmaster for me.''
One can readily credit the above from thu
sturdy singer of Elm fssts burg tst unssr Gott
Who can but think of the gallant old maj
as the rich masculine notes poured fl, hil
massive throat How the roof of his little
church must have shaken to the inspiring
hymn commencing "a mighty fortress is
our God r .- .r.-
George A. Veazie, Supervisor of Music
Chelsea, MASS public schools says, in his
contribution to pamphlet upon this sub
ject publis ell by the Bureau of Education
at Washington. al hope to see every State
| N the Union, sooner or later, place the study
| Of vocal music on the same plane with the
luction and maintenance compulsory upon
every school board throughout the State.
| Why should we not essay an advance in
chs direction in Delaware?
There seems to be slight dawn of awak-
ening in school matters here. The first il.
lustration of that fact is the genuineness of
the work done at the Teachers Institute
that closed Saturday last.
Taking up Mr.. Veaze's thoughts again
he says ''This proposition would have the
ultimate approval Of every man, woman and
child who had been in any way, directly ol
indirectly, and without prejudice, cognizant
| Of the successful results attending the sys-
tematic study Of vocal music in the public
| schools in the United States. The earnest
ness Of teachers, both special and regular in
this direction cannot be lightly passed by, it
is soal-b born, and as such deserving"
Mr.. Veaz 9 is ''per 4uaded that his eIper-
Gpce Of the last fifteen years is but com
plement of that Of many others. Frightened,
as it always may be, in the pleasant inter
course Of teacher and class, it is, on the 9TH
| er hand too frequently clouded by the will
full persstency Of those who block the
wheels OF progress, themselves ignorant of
music, perhaps even in its lowest forms, sus-
ceptible in no way to its kindly influence,
unable to perceive in the remotcst degree its
bearing upon the disposition and tine entire
| nature of the child in creating within its
breast d love for the beautiful aud tho good,
| in preference to that which is ignobie and
bad, shutting their eyes in stubborn blind
| ness to every thing but their own egotism
and their worship of that monstrous crudity
| the theory of 6read-dad butte, studies. an
tagonistc to all else beyond the limits of the
''three Rs" and fighting to the bitter end
every suggested. expenditure for anything
beyond
He continues, in regard to his own schools
"0ut of 72 teachers in the primary and
grammar schools, 67 possess the ability re-
| qlisite to drill their pupils daily In the sing
ing exercises assigned, II out of the 67 have
been pupils in the schools' under my direc-
tlon. Tho other So most of whom were
| teachers at the time took the schools six
teen years ago, have learned the elements OF
| music as have taughtsthem to their classes,
knowing nothing of the art (with one or two
exceptions) when they began, they are now
capable teachers in that direction" He
closes his article by quoting from the report
of his music committee of 1883, as follows !:
Let it be understood that music is not
taught in our schools for what it may bring
to the pupil in mere temporal advanc ment
though, whatever may be gained in this d-
recton, should the scholar finally make mu-
sic pro ression, is to his advantage. The
trailing of the voice and ear, and the for
nation of a correct musical taste through
the medium of pure models of musical COM
position adapted in all grades Of school work
to the ability of the young singer, is the un-
derlying principle Of thsnoble endeayor, and
every child is made the better for participa-
ting In the musical exercise with a conscious
ability. Its spiritual nature is broadened
and deepened unconsciously, and thus made
more painfully sensitive to the assaults Of
evil, ani.much more ready to welcome the
benign influence for good with which our
civilized world is blessed"
What delightful influx of good influence
it would be if our school authorities, Boards
and Commissions throughout Delaware
could become convinced of the true value Of
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